Caring For The Person Who Is Suicidal For further information see also the following MIND Essentials resource Conducting a suicide risk assessment. Suicidal thoughts and behaviours are not unique to mental illness, although they do occur at a higher rate for those with mental illness compared to the general population. This resource provides an overview of responding to suicidal behaviour, regardless of whether that behaviour presents in context with mental illness or not. u Case study Sarah is a person you have been seeing with relapsing and remitting multiple sclerosis. She has not yet started to improve and is struggling to regain her independence. She is in a lot of pain and says that she thinks she needs stronger pain relief. She tells you today that soon you won t have to worry about having to shower her any more. She apologises for being such a burden and comments that it must be awful for you to have to provide such intimate care. She says that she hates to think about a future where there is no dignity, when she can no longer toilet herself or is put in a nursing home. She talks to you about her family, who live interstate, and about how she was left with very little since her divorce. After talking with her some more, you contact her GP, who admits her to hospital for further assessment and observation. The following information could help you nurse a patient like Sarah. Why might a person be suicidal? While increased suicide risk may be associated with certain psychiatric disorders (such as mood disorders, substance abuse and schizophrenia), anyone can be vulnerable to suicidal thoughts and behaviours when confronted by difficult circumstances. The thoughts and behaviours are most likely to occur when a person feels helpless (that there is nothing they can do to help their situation) or hopeless (the situation is perceived as being unlikely to change). Thus, suicidal thoughts and behaviours can be understood as being indicative of a person s coping resources being overwhelmed. Vulnerability to suicidal thoughts and behaviours can also be influenced by a person s sense of empowerment, their relationships with family members, religious beliefs and other reasons for living. People who perceive that they have few reasons Page 65
u Suicidal Thoughts or Behaviour for living may consider suicide as a coping strategy, independent of their mental state. Approximately 11% of the Australian adults report having experienced suicidal ideation or engaged in suicidal behaviour at some stage in their life. A person s perspective on what it is like to feel suicidal When I am not too bad it is just the feeling that everything is so painful inside of me that I just don t want to exist any more I just want the world to stop and for it all to be over. When I am worse, I feel like I am a pretty rotten person and the world would be better off without me. I get these intrusive ruminating thoughts such as I wish I was dead and I don t deserve to live. No matter how hard I try I can t turn them off and I hate them. I find the thoughts quite scary as I really want to live in a lot of ways, especially for my children, but I am frightened that one day I will get so depressed I will act on these impulses. Some reported reactions to people who are suicidal The following reactions have been reported by nurses who have worked with people who are suicidal: Anxiety Some nurses feel very anxious when caring for a suicidal person. This may be related to managing the risks of suicide, including recognising warning signs and being able to respond effectively. It may also be linked to concerns about saying the wrong thing or feeling guilty or being blamed for a person taking his or her own life. Avoidance Moral conflict Conflict with the person Anger Feelings of uncertainty may cause the nurse to avoid the person. This can occur more frequently in those who feel a lack of confidence, are inexperienced with suicidal thoughts or behaviours or have limited exposure to appropriate training. Most people have strong feelings about suicide. For some, strong religious beliefs against suicide can affect how the person is perceived and treated. Nurses are usually responsible for the restoration of health and maintenance of life. They may feel conflicted when needing to care for someone who does not value this goal. Some nurses feel anger towards the person, seeing the person as undeserving of the resources being used to keep him or her alive. Goals for nursing the person who is suicidal Immediate and short-term goals in community and hospital settings when caring for the person who is suicidal are: u Provide a safe environment for the person at risk and yourself. Page 66 u Develop a relationship with the person based on empathy and trust. u Promote the person s sense of hope and positive self-regard.
u Promote effective coping and problem solving skills, in a way that is empowering to the person. u Promote the person s engagement with their social and support network. u Ensure effective collaboration with other relevant service providers, through development of effective working relationships and communication. u Support and promote self care activities for families and carers of the person who is suicidal. Responding to the person who is suicidal It is critical for a preliminary suicide risk assessment to be conducted refer to the MIND Essentials resource Conducting a suicide risk assessment for further information. This assessment will allow you to identify the need for an initial or followup psychiatric assessment. The following may also be relevant: n Provide a safe, secure and closely observed area for the person to limit their access and opportunity to harm themselves. n Maintain open communication and personal contact. This will help the person feel that he or she is not alone and without hope. n Do not be overly cheerful or tell the person to cheer up. Also, do not try to talk the person out of feelings of despair, as this has the potential to expand his or her sense of isolation. The person may come to believe that you are insensitive or cannot understand his or her situation. n Do not agree with the person s despair, but communicate that you recognise his or her feelings. For example, you might say: You describe a world that seems empty and dark. Is that how it feels for you? u Suicidal Thoughts or Behaviour n Acknowledge the losses and stresses that the person sees in life and validate his or her feelings. Talk about how these can lead to an illness such as depression. Discuss the likelihood of recovery and avoid arguments about the value of life versus death. n Point out that when the person begins to feel better, he or she is more likely to see the value of personal accomplishments, future opportunities and relationships. Explain that when someone is experiencing hopelessness and depression, he or she is more likely to belittle or devalue these aspects of life. n Discuss the events and feelings that have led to the person s negative beliefs. Point out situations where he or she can still make a positive impact. Stress that the current situation may not go on forever. n Remember that by spending time with the person, you can communicate that you think his or her life is important. n Encourage the person to solve problems. He or she may be feeling overwhelmed and as such may be having difficulty thinking about options for the future. Help the person to identify underlying conflicts, problems and obstacles and encourage him or her to work through these. n Provide a balanced point of view in order to counteract the harsh self-judgements that the person may be presenting. Suggest positive options for the future and constructive interpretations. Point out any of the person s thinking that seems to be unrealistic, all-or-nothing or perfectionist, and offer alternative perspectives. Page 67
u Suicidal Thoughts or Behaviour n Consider organising a referral to a social worker. This may help address any obvious environmental stressors and may increase the level of support the person receives. n A person s cultural background may have specific relevance for their attitudes towards suicide or the way in which their community or family will support them. Aboriginal Liaison Officers and Multicultural Health Liaison Officers are available for help and advice about these issues. n As appropriate, provide family members and carers with information about suicidal behaviour, as well as reassurance and validation of their experiences with the person. Encourage family members and carers to look after themselves and seek help or support if required. n Be aware of your own feelings. Nursing a suicidal person can be very stressful for you and your colleagues. Review the person s condition with your colleagues. Arrange for debriefing for yourself or for any colleague who may be particularly affected by dealing with the issue of suicide this may occur with a clinical supervisor or an employee assistance program counsellor (see below). Employee Assistance Program counsellors are available for nurses in need of support and debriefing regarding any work related or personal matters. Contact numbers in your area can be found at: http://intranet.hne.health.nsw.gov.au/hr/eap Interventions for suicidal thoughts and behaviours In the past, no-suicide or keep safe contracts were often made, where the person with suicidal thoughts or behaviours agreed and signed a document promising not to harm themselves. However, there is no evidence that these are of value as clinical or risk management tools. While they may aid the therapeutic alliance, they are not substitutes for ongoing supervision and monitoring of a person assessed as at risk of suicide. As shown in the flowchart below, suicide risk assessment (see the MIND Essentials resource Conducting a suicide risk assessment for more information) can help guide the type of intervention and care provided to someone who is suicidal. In general, treatment for suicidal thoughts or behaviours will depend upon the context. Immediate interventions will focus on ensuring a person s safety, potentially by providing containment and increased nursing observation to limit access or opportunity for the person to hurt themself. As described in the NSW Health (2004) document, longer term interventions should aim to address the issues underlying the cause of the suicidal thoughts or behaviours. This may include access to treatment for mental illness (e.g. depression) or substance use. Longer term interventions will also usually focus on addressing psychological and emotional issues to reduce distress and increase coping skills; as well as development of a relapse prevention plan. Education on illness and risk management should also be provided to the person and carers. A focus on addressing other vulnerability factors (e.g. anger management, housing problems, financial problems, isolation) may also be indicated. Page 68
Suicide Risk Assessment Model (adapted from NSW Health, 2004) Start Here Engage u Provide an opportunity to talk u Create a safe, respectful atmosphere High risk High changeability Low assessment confidence Ask preliminary questions For example: u Have things been so bad lately that you d rather not be here? u Have you had thoughts of self-harm or suicide? Identify risk factors (e.g. male, intoxicated, psychotic) Assess risk u Include harm to others Medium risk Reassess in 1 week u Develop management plan, including rapid reassessment strategy LOW risk u Reassess in 1 month or within 1 week if discharged from inpatient unit Identify protective factors (e.g. religious beliefs, strong family support) Obtain corroborative history from family, health workers etc. NO Foreseeable RISK u Suicidal Thoughts or Behaviour u Ensure a safe, secure environment (e.g. ground floor or observation room) u Reassess within 24 hours u Give 24 hour contact number for emergency clinical services u Arrange a comprehensive mental health assessment or consultation and liaison with Psychiatry or Mental Health Service u Formulate a management plan involving general and mental health staff u Share assessment with family and elicit support u Include this in management plan u May need to consult by telephone in rural areas u Continue in general ward with or without specialist support u Admit to psychiatric inpatient unit or transfer u Arrange for schedule II if necessary u Discharge with follow-up plan Page 69
u Suicidal Thoughts or Behaviour Discharge planning Discuss with the person and consider referrals to one or more of the following options: u GP u Community Health Centre (CHC) for social work or psychology counselling. To access the contact numbers and details for your local Centre, use the following link on the HNE intranet: http://intranet.hne.health.nsw.gov.au/services_and_facilities u Mental Health Services. Use the following link to obtain referral forms and contact numbers available on the HNE intranet: http://intranet.hne.health.nsw.gov.au/mental_health/adult_model_of_care/triage u Private service providers Further reading For more information, see the Mental Health First Aid Manual at www.mhfa.com.au Internet access required. Also see the following direct links to relevant guidelines and recommendations for specific health care settings: http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/pubs/2005/pdf/general_hosp_ward.pdf http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/pubs/2005/pdf/emergency_dept.pdf http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/pubs/2005/pdf/justice_longbay.pdf Sources Commonwealth Government Department of Health and Ageing and Government of South Australia. (2007). SQuARe Suicide, QUestions, Answers and Resources: An education resource for primary health care, specialist and community settings. Retrieved 12 February 2008 from http://square.org.au/ De Leo, D., Cerin, E., Spathonis, K., (2005). Lifetime risk of suicide ideation and attempts in an Australian community: Prevalence, suicidal process and help-seeking behaviour. Journal of Affective Disorders, 86, 215-224. Goldney, R. & Cantor, C. (2001). Suicide and suicidal behaviour. In S. Bloch & B. Singh (Eds.), Foundations of clinical psychiatry (pp. 491-504). Melbourne: Melbourne University Press. Gorman, L. M., Sultan, D. & Luna-Raines, M. (1989). Psychosocial nursing handbook for the nonpsychiatric nurse. Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins. NSW Health. (2004). Framework for suicide risk assessment and management for NSW Health staff. Retrieved 12 February 2008 from http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/pubs/2005/suicide_risk.html Page 70